A European doctrine which taught that monarchy was a divinely ordained institution, that hereditary right could not be abolished, that kings were answerable only to God, and that it was therefore sinful for their subjects to resist them actively. It evolved during the Middle Ages, in part as a reaction to papal intrusions into secular affairs. The extension of the principle, to justify absolute rule and illegal taxation, aroused controversy. James I of England upheld the doctrine in his speeches and writings and his son Charles I was executed for refusing to accept parliamentary control of his policies. After the Glorious Revolution the doctrine was far less influential, yielding to anti-absolutist arguments like those of John Locke. In late 17th-century France Louis XIV's monarchy was based on the principle of Divine Right.